Show & Tell: Progress: Pot rack

Tater-baby (my youngest) asked what do I blog about,

"Progress" I said, "I blog about progress"

My sweet hubby bought this at a SUPER discount last year for our new home (because of the lack of cabinets, and we have always wanted one.)
Taylor-is it possible your are ACTUALLY looking at the directions????
Actually he's just looking at the pictures-what a GUY!
(Check out the beat up box, THAT happened in storage)

 

Down came the clock (moved to another side of the room:)

 

TA-DA!!! They took the lights out of the pot rack to use over the island later. It also leaves more room for pots and pans. (need me some more hooks:)

 

Wasted wall space is now 'productive' storage space! I call that progress!!!

My Husband Rocks and Love Dare post below:

Boy's got skills:)

Taylor's English project-completely his own design!

 

So detailed, and, no, he DOES NOT get any crafting talent from me:)



LOVE DARE: DAY EIGHT

DAY EIGHT: Love is not jealous
"Love is a strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire." Song of Solomon 8:6 NIV
CHALLENGE: Determine to become your spouses biggest fan and to reject any thought of jealousy. To help you set your heart on your spouse and focus on their achievements, take yesterday's list of negative attributes and discreetly burn it. Then share with you spouse how glad you are about a success he or she recently enjoyed.
RESULTS: tomorrow

DAY SEVEN: Love believes the best
"(Love) believes all things, hopes all things."
1 Corinthians 13:7
CHALLENGE: For Today's dare, get two sheets of paper. On the first one, spend a few minutes writing out positive things about your spouse. Then do the same with negative things on the second sheet. Place both sheets in a secret place for another day. There is a different purpose and plan for each. At some point during the remainder of the day, pick a positive attribute from the first list and thank your spouse for having this characteristic.
RESULTS: VERY EASY!! private-wink-wink

Camera Critters: Horsing around!

My BIL invited us over for an early Christmas.
They have a lovely (HUGE) lake house and everything was wonderful!
How great it was to sit and visit with them.
My 'menfolk' saddled up and rode the horses (which haven't been ridden in and while and were touchy) and I had to have a picture of each one...
(by the way-IT WAS FREEZING COLD WITH STRONG WINDS-BRRRRR)
Birthday boy-D (whose future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades)...

 

Tater sporting his brand new coat...

 

Mikey-poo (wearing dad's coat and notice the welding gloves? He looks a little like John Wayne doesn't he?)...

 

And hubby-dear (really what a patient kind dear:), good lookin fella AND get a look at this BEAUTIFUL horse!!
Sonny you da man!
(you can see how big Sonny is if he makes my hubby look small)

 

Thanks to BIL and SIL for having us, for neice and family for coming, and other BIL and SIL! Everything was wonderful!
I'm so thankful for family, and the beauty that surrounds me!!!

Happy Birthday DJ!!!

My Christmas present in 1987 turned 21 on 12/21/08!!!

 

We were able to spend the night before at the movies (D's choice) and his actual birthday visiting hubby's side of the family for Christmas!
DJ, you are so cool! Thank you for joining our family, and just being you! I look forward to see what life holds for you and the direction you will take! You never fail to amaze:)
I LOVE YOU!!!
(DJ said I didn't have many pictures of him, and he is right, so look out D everytime I see you I WILL be taking (and posting) your picture:)

 

David turned ONE!

Ralph (after his dad), "David" (after my dad), Wayne (after his dad's side) is our third grandchild, first grandson, and he turned one on December 17, 2008
His party was the following Saturday.
Little man was SOO sleepy, but he managed to hold it together for the cake eating
and eating and eating and eating! (notice the zombie like look on his little face?:)

 

Then all hopped up on sugar he was good for a while till he really crashed

 

in my arms, heaven pure heaven! Happy Birthday baby boy!!!

Christmas treasures: pt 9

Notice the sweet little girl finger prints?
Thats what I'm calling them 'sweet' :)

 

Snow nativity from my youth, Mr. and Mrs. Claus bell ornaments, bought when I was in high school (in the early 80's) looking forward to my 'own' grown up tree (AND my own Santa:),

 

MIL's home interior's nativity, we chose for our youngest after she passed away in 1992.
He sets it up each year.
Next year it becomes his to do with as he pleases (if hubby can let it go:).

 

My beautiful nativity snow globe, church that looks like the one we were married in, and 'candles' made out of wash rags and soap by one of my kiddos (need to fix the one on the left and find out who actually made them:)

 

Show & Tell: Decking GreatGrandma's tree

Daughter Misty likes to help her grandma decorate her tree.
My mom loves her help!
Misty brought us lunch (mmmm, yummy chicken and dumplings Misty style),
came and got me (WOOHOO!),
and brought the kids (double WOO double HOO).
I got to 'corral' the babies while the ladies went to work.
I took tons of pictures trying to get 'the best shots'
(I love digital!)
LauraJune won't smile for the camera, David wants to eat the camera cap...

 

So I just kept snapping away....

 

And ended up with these beauties:

 

AND best shots of the day!
Smiling together!
Hanging 'their' ornaments on their Greatgrandma's tree (with mom's help)
Greatgrandma's tree, all decked out ready for Christmas!!

 

(and as it seems to run in our family, there was crying, and sneaking out of the corral, chasing, threatening, biting (yep, the little bugger BIT ME!!), playing, teasing, loving, hugging, kissing, and, well you get the picture:)
Thanks Misty for the ride, for helping your Grandma, for yummy nummmy lunch, for just being you!
For Show and Tell notice my mom's gaudy gorgeous tree!!

Christmas treasures: pt 5

Christmas treasures: pt 5
You may notice a reoccurring theme in our Christmas tree...
Random:)
That's what I love about ornaments, they are so personal:)
top left: wooden star (decorated by one of my babies); straw angel to remind me of the ones we bought in Mexico as a child
top right: puzzle ornament, net bird, Santa light cover, peacock, cowboy hat (look close:), icicle light cover
bottom left: tiny vintage style (like mom's) snowman
bottom right: wood snowman (decorated by one of my babies:)

 

top left: little girl that reminds me of...ME:)
top right: clear plastic reindeer
bottom left: moon and star, brass bell, felt Santa
bottom right: nativity cross (see the Holy family??)

 

top left: wooden star puzzle
top right: bulb reindeer
bottom left: tiny Joy angel
bottom right: Jack-in-the-box Snowman

 

top left: tiny vintage style Santa (like mom's), red bell,
top right: Mike's moose
bottom left: reindeer
bottom right: paper art from Misty

 

Wordless Wednesday: Mama-razzi

 

{Or, aren't you glad Ya Mama didn't start a blog till this year?????
Wordless Wednesday at:
5 Minutes for Mom
Wordless Wednesday.com
and because I'm doing Christmas each day, before he became 'too cool'}

Show & Tell: O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How are thy leaves so verdant!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How are thy leaves so verdant!
{I love my BIG fake Christmas tree covered with my 20+ years of special ornaments and pretty lights (most of our ornaments have been handed out to the child they belong to, so all that is left are hubby and my special ones (and some fillers)}
Not only in the summertime,
But even in winter is thy prime.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How are thy leaves so verdant!
{I waited until (I thought I could stand it no more) Monday after Thanksgiving,
when down came Thanksgiving,
the hope chest was moved out of the way
(notice the kitty love fest going on:)}

 

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!
{last time the tree was decorated, I left the room only to return to find my 'precious' sons THROWING ornaments across the room to see if they 'caught' and hung on the tree-GRRRRRRRRR!}
For every year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!
{So this year, out came the boxes containing the tree parts,
and all the ornaments.
The girls I babysit went home
(they would have loved to have helped)}

 

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
{The less than excited boys were bribed with cookies}
Each bough doth hold its tiny light,
That makes each toy to sparkle bright.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
{The ceiling is shorter here,
so we decided to put the star NEAR the top,
BUT the star was burned out,
and the garland missing
(just where is that other box of Christmas stuff??)
so a trip to Walmart was needed,
only to find not enough garland was purchased,
AND the new star didn't work,
SO the next night ANOTHER trip to Walmart which only had one strand of garland,
SO the next day ANOTHER trip to a different Walmart,
WHICH produced our beautiful tree!!}

 

(the star only looks like its leaning in the picture)
No body died in the decorating of this tree
(although my patience was surely tested (Taylor)) Only one pine cone was thrown across the room
(TAYLOR!!!! GGGGRRRRR!!!).
Shout out to:
Sweet tolerant hubby (you rock baby:) for the putting together and lighting of the tree
(21 years of tree decorating together and counting).
Missionaries that came for FHE, dinner, and quick decorating before leaving for an appointment.
Tay's friend who willingly helped til he had to leave.
Mike and Tay for seeing it through, after MUCH pushing
(love ya too much to argue Tay:).
Fred Claus for making us feel festive (after FHE and Missionaries left:)
Walmart for ALWAYS being open, and taking returns.
Little girls that ooo and ahhh.
Now just have to put up those empty boxes cluttering up my bedroom,
and find the lost Christmas box with the stockings in it!

Also my Pilgrim and Indian dolls from EBAY
AND Jessica from A Latte Moment who sent this cool cookbook as a prize this week! Happy Happy Joy Joy!

 

However you celebrate remember our opportunity to be a little kinder, and show a little more love. Happy Holiday season for you and yours!

Soaring Spirit (Kite FHE)

We actually had family home evening (family night)
I used to be so good about this, but I have starting slacking.
(tonight we deck out the tree:)
I found this poem in the New Era (church mag for teens)

 

Erin Camp Worland,
“My Kite,”
NewEra, Oct 2008, 49
I went outside to fly my kite
One breezy day in spring.
I wondered just how high it would go,
So let out all the string.
With the end held firmly in my grasp,
My thoughts began to flow:
Oh, how much higher could it fly
If I’d just let it go?
With that, my hand released the string,
And much to my surprise,
It fell straight down
Instead of soaring through the skies.
What went wrong, I asked myself,
This made no sense at all.
I tried and tried again, but each time
All it did was fall.
So, one last time I ran
To let the breeze lift up the kite.
I let the string out to the end
But this time held on tight.
I smiled as I gazed upon
Those colors way up high.
I realized that, like my kite,
We too need string to fly.
Our string is called the gospel,
And its purpose now is sure.
Temptation’s wind may tug and pull,
But our string can help us soar.
I’ll hold on tight to what I know,
And like my kite I’ll be.
The gospel doesn’t hold us back,
Instead it makes us free!
(Photo by Jacey Erickson)
I decided we would make kites to hang up.
My boys (20 & 18) are awesome craft-ers.
I just gave them some card stock, and they came up with the rest.

 

The question was, if I am the one holding the string, and the string is the gospel, what are the kite and the tail?

 

They decided the kite is our spirit, and it soars when you hang on to the gospel, and the tail is obedience.

 

Cool huh?
I'm happy when I'm obedient.
I'm happy when I don't have to 'regret'.
AND I love to see my children walk in the light:)
I'm blue today, so I'll just hang on to what I know, and be obedient, and let the tangles unravel themselves:)
Happy Monday to you!
This is for:
11th Heavens Homemaking Haven for Home Maker Monday

Everyday Elegance for My Favorite Things Monday

AND
As for Me and My House for Making A Happy Home Monday